Whenever I begin a new project, I immediately grab my headphones even before preparing all of my supplies. There is something very soothing about listening to music while drawing or creating. When I sit down to start, I play the music and let my creativity take over. I like to make different playlists on Apple music, sit in a comfy chair or outside in the sun, and become inspired by the music as well as my environment. I take in everything: nearby flowers, the sky, the sounds of life around me, and let the music do the rest.

Depending on the type of mood I’m in, I choose my playlist and this makes for an even stronger effect on my work. Sometimes, if I’m in a very relaxed mood I like to listen to John Mayer or Dave Matthews Band, but I’m always intermixing songs from different artists and genres.

I’m a firm believer that music has a strong effect on my artwork. It can change my mood, bring out my emotions, plant new ideas in my head, and ultimately create an experience. When I listen to slower, calmer music my work seems to be softer, less geometric, and even the colors reflect my mood. To me, music is a cure, a solution to a problem, even a form of therapy. It can take you to different places, it can change up your brush strokes from soft to harsh and back again, and it can create a sense of rhythm in artwork almost subconsciously. I find music and art to be the perfect combination.